Woman pleads guilty after Shelby Amber Alert arrest

Published: Friday, May 9, 2014 at 11:04 AM.

FITCHBURG, MASS. -- A woman arrested earlier this year in Shelby for kidnapping her daughter has pleaded guilty.

Leeanna Wilson pleaded guilty in Fitchburg, Mass. District Court Thursday to all charges against her, including beating her daughter with a belt last year and kidnapping her in January.

Judge Andrew Mandell sentenced Wilson, 50, to 18 months in the House of Correction but suspended 14 months and gave her credit for time she served awaiting Thursday's sentencing. She was also given three years probation, and ordered to attend anger-management as well as parenting classes.

"It's like 14 months hanging over her head for three years," said defense attorney Nora Allard.

Assistant District Attorney Terry McLaughlin alleged that the then-5-year-old victim told investigators her mother hit her with a belt and yardstick-style ruler repeatedly from June 2012 to January 2013.

Wilson also used her hands to hit the child and slammed her head into a refrigerator.

The Department of Children and Families told Wilson they were taking custody of her daughter in January but she fled before they could arrive Jan. 8, McLaughlin said.

Police issued an Amber Alert, and Wilson was arrested when police found her at a relative's home in Shelby on Jan. 11.

Arrest in Shelby

Cleveland County Sheriff Alan Norman said Wilson abducted her daughter Alize about three days prior to her arrest in a parking lot in Fitchburg, Mass.

“Wilson is supposedly the biological mother of the child,” Norman told The Star at that time. “But she did not have any parental rights to the child.”

Alize and her mother were located, both safe, in an area off Cherryville Road northeast of Shelby, Norman said.

“Lt. Billy Fredell received information from Massachusetts State Police to possibly check a location on Yarn Mill Road. Fredell, along with Sgt. Jon McIntyre, went to a residence there and the first residence they went to, they located the child at her grandmother’s house, as well as the child's mother.

“Cases like this are near and dear to your heart because you’re dealing with a child,” Norman previously said. “...To return one safely, you are happy at the end of the day to say you accomplished something. I commend both (Fredell and McIntyre) for their work.”

Additional charges

In another case against her, Wilson was given three years probation and ordered to stay away from a neighbor and their child for three years after pleading guilty to slapping, shaking and slamming a 3-year-old who she said hit her daughter.

Wilson gave short answers to Mandell's questions and told him she suffers from bipolar disorder.

Her family and friends were happy to have Wilson going home but weren't happy she pleaded guilty.

"I'm displeased with the simple fact she had to plead guilty to get out of here today and wasn't guilty," said her friend, Tracey Heffernan of Fitchburg.

Wilson was only disciplining her daughter, but the judicial system calls it assault, Heffernan said.

Her sister, Shirley Payton, said Wilson pleaded guilty so she can get out of jail before her grown daughter, Pauline Wilson of Leominster, has a child in September.

"She wants to get out to be with her grandaughter," Payton said.

They were ready to picket in front of the court if Wilson wasn't released.

FITCHBURG, MASS. -- A woman arrested earlier this year in Shelby for kidnapping her daughter has pleaded guilty.

Leeanna Wilson pleaded guilty in Fitchburg, Mass. District Court Thursday to all charges against her, including beating her daughter with a belt last year and kidnapping her in January.

Judge Andrew Mandell sentenced Wilson, 50, to 18 months in the House of Correction but suspended 14 months and gave her credit for time she served awaiting Thursday's sentencing. She was also given three years probation, and ordered to attend anger-management as well as parenting classes.

"It's like 14 months hanging over her head for three years," said defense attorney Nora Allard.

Assistant District Attorney Terry McLaughlin alleged that the then-5-year-old victim told investigators her mother hit her with a belt and yardstick-style ruler repeatedly from June 2012 to January 2013.

Wilson also used her hands to hit the child and slammed her head into a refrigerator.

The Department of Children and Families told Wilson they were taking custody of her daughter in January but she fled before they could arrive Jan. 8, McLaughlin said.

Police issued an Amber Alert, and Wilson was arrested when police found her at a relative's home in Shelby on Jan. 11.

Arrest in Shelby

Cleveland County Sheriff Alan Norman said Wilson abducted her daughter Alize about three days prior to her arrest in a parking lot in Fitchburg, Mass.

“Wilson is supposedly the biological mother of the child,” Norman told The Star at that time. “But she did not have any parental rights to the child.”

Alize and her mother were located, both safe, in an area off Cherryville Road northeast of Shelby, Norman said.

“Lt. Billy Fredell received information from Massachusetts State Police to possibly check a location on Yarn Mill Road. Fredell, along with Sgt. Jon McIntyre, went to a residence there and the first residence they went to, they located the child at her grandmother’s house, as well as the child's mother.

“Cases like this are near and dear to your heart because you’re dealing with a child,” Norman previously said. “...To return one safely, you are happy at the end of the day to say you accomplished something. I commend both (Fredell and McIntyre) for their work.”

Additional charges

In another case against her, Wilson was given three years probation and ordered to stay away from a neighbor and their child for three years after pleading guilty to slapping, shaking and slamming a 3-year-old who she said hit her daughter.

Wilson gave short answers to Mandell's questions and told him she suffers from bipolar disorder.

Her family and friends were happy to have Wilson going home but weren't happy she pleaded guilty.

"I'm displeased with the simple fact she had to plead guilty to get out of here today and wasn't guilty," said her friend, Tracey Heffernan of Fitchburg.

Wilson was only disciplining her daughter, but the judicial system calls it assault, Heffernan said.

Her sister, Shirley Payton, said Wilson pleaded guilty so she can get out of jail before her grown daughter, Pauline Wilson of Leominster, has a child in September.

"She wants to get out to be with her grandaughter," Payton said.

They were ready to picket in front of the court if Wilson wasn't released.